System and method for reading a tire code and obtaining tire-related information

Abstract

A tire code reader scans an automobile tire to capture an image of the tire code molded on the tire sidewall and associates it with the vehicle identification number (VIN) read by a bar code scanner also on the reader. Both tire code and VIN are uploaded to a control server and then to a cloud-based server that is programmed with optical character recognition software for reading the tire code and for accessing databases for information about that tire, such as re-call information, and the make, model and year of the automobile. The cloud-based server transmits a report back to the control server for printing a full report by a printer and to the tire code reader for display of the tire code.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tire code reader system, comprising:
 a tire code reader including
 a housing including a handle, 
 a scanner carried within said housing, said scanner measuring distance from said scanner to a tire sidewall when said scanner is placed against a tire sidewall where a tire code is present and to produce a two-dimensional array of distance measurements from said scanner to said tire sidewall, said two-dimensional array defining an image, 
 a shroud attached to said scanner, said shroud spacing said scanner a fixed distance from said tire sidewall when said shroud is placed against said tire sidewall, 
 a display carried by said housing, and 
 a processor controlling said scanner and said display; 
 
 a server in communication with said processor of said tire code reader, said server being programmed to recognize alphanumeric characters in said image, and wherein said server recognizes a tire code from said image and returns said tire code to said processor whereupon said processor displays said tire code on said display. 
 
     
     
       2. The tire code reader system of  claim 1 , wherein said server and said processor communicate wirelessly. 
     
     
       3. The tire code reader system of  claim 1 , wherein said server is a cloud-based server programmed to access and interrogate databases for tire recall information. 
     
     
       4. The tire code reader system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bar code reader, said bar code reader reading a vehicle identification number coded as a bar code on a vehicle, said processor associating said vehicle identification number with said image of said tire code on a tire on said vehicle, and wherein said server is programmed to access databases of information about vehicles based on vehicle identification number. 
     
     
       5. The tire code reader system of  claim 1 , further comprising a memory, said memory storing a set of images corresponding to a set of tires of a vehicle. 
     
     
       6. The tire code reader system of  claim 1 , wherein said handle is pivotable between a first position and a second position, said handle locking in both said first and said second position. 
     
     
       7. The tire code reader system of  claim 1 , further comprising a printer in communications with said server. 
     
     
       8. The tire code reader system of  claim 1 , wherein said processor includes a tire code reader number with said image to identify said tire code reader. 
     
     
       9. The tire code reader system of  claim 1 , wherein said processor includes an application processor and a real-time processor, said application processor controlling said display, and said real time processor controlling said movement of said scanner. 
     
     
       10. The tire code reader system of  claim 1 , wherein said server is a cloud-based server and wherein said tire code reader system further comprises a control server and a printer, said control server in communication with said processor and with said cloud-based server and with said printer. 
     
     
       11. The tire code reader system of  claim 1 , wherein said scanner scans said tire sidewall in increments of 0.2 mm. 
     
     
       12. The tire code reader system of  claim 1 , wherein said display is a touch screen display. 
     
     
       13. A tire code reader system, comprising:
 a tire code reader including
 a housing including a handle, 
 a scanner carried within said housing, said scanner measuring distance from said scanner to a tire sidewall when said scanner is placed against a tire sidewall where a tire code is present and to produce a two-dimensional array of distance measurements from said scanner to said tire sidewall, said two-dimensional array defining an image, 
 a shroud attached to said scanner, said shroud spacing said scanner a fixed distance from said tire sidewall when said shroud is placed against said tire sidewall, 
 a display carried by said housing, and 
 an application processor controlling said display; 
 a real-time processor controlling motion of said scanner; 
 
 a control server in communication with said real time processor of said tire code reader, and 
 a cloud-based server in communication with said control server, said cloud-based server being programmed to recognize alphanumeric characters in said image, and wherein said cloud-based server recognizes a tire code from said image and returns said tire code to said application processor for display of said tire code on said display. 
 
     
     
       14. The tire code reader system of  claim 13 , further comprising a bar code scanner, said bar code scanner reading a vehicle identification number coded as a bar code on a vehicle, said real time processor associating said vehicle identification number with said image of said tire code and communicating said vehicle identification number to said control server, which control server forwards to said cloud-based server, wherein said cloud-based server is programmed to access databases containing information about vehicles based on vehicle identification number and return said information to said control server. 
     
     
       15. The tire code reader system of  claim 13 , wherein said handle is pivotable between a first position and a second position, said handle locking in both said first and said second position, said second position being 75 degrees from said first position. 
     
     
       16. The tire code reader system of  claim 13 , wherein said tire code reader system further comprises a printer, and wherein said control server is in communication with said printer. 
     
     
       17. The tire code reader system of  claim 13 , wherein said real-time processor and said application processor receive power from a battery stored in said handle. 
     
     
       18. The tire code reader system of  claim 13 , wherein said tire code reader scans said sidewall in increments of 0.2 mm to obtain said two-dimensional array. 
     
     
       19. The tire code reader system of  claim 13 , wherein said display is a touch screen display.